Bunk stakes for use on logging trucks, railway flat cars and the like



J. K. YORSTON ET AL BUNK STAKES FOR USE ON LOGGING TRUCKS, RAILWAY FLAT CARS AND THE LIKE Filed June 30, 1952 July 17, 1956 INVENTORS ATTORNEY JOEL V/RGIL RICE JA MES KEITH YORSTON United States Patent BUNK STAKES FOR USE ON LOGGING TRUCKS, RAILWAY FLAT CARS AND THE LIKE James Keith Yorston and Joel Virgil Rice, Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada Application June 30, 1952, Serial No. 296,328

4 Claims. (Cl. 105-382) Our invention relates to improvements in bunk stakes for use on logging trucks, railway fiat cars and the like.

The objects of the invention are to provide stakes for bunks which are capable of confining high loads on a truck or railway car, which when released to discharge the load, will not reach the ground below the bunks or in any way interfere with the free discharge by gravity of said load; to provide a stake consisting of two pieces, one of which is hingedly connected to the end of a bunk and the second to be mountable upon the first to provide the necessary height of stake, and also to provide means whereby when said stake is collapsed the load will roll over the first named piece on discharge in the usual way, but said load will pass under the second piece, so that said second piece will not become fouled with the load or lost subsequent to discharge.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an end elevational view of a bunk and its stakes as seen from one end of a truck.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of a stake.

Figure 3 is an inside elevational View of a stake.

Figure 4 is an elevational detail of the latching means of the stake members.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

The numeral 1 indicates generally a truck platform or other load carrying member upon which is mounted a bunk 2 of any appropriate design. Each end of the bunk is fitted with a hinge lug 4 to which a main stake member 5 is pivotally connected by a pin 6. Each main stake member is fitted intermediate its height with a chain 8 which extends under the load to the opposite end of the bunk 2 where it is detachably secured to hold the stake in vertically extending position as shown. The stake holding and releasing means may be of any appropriate type, which permits the operator to stand on the side of the truck which is remote from the stake that he wishes to release, so as to be entirely out of danger when the load, which may be of logs or other dispersable materials, is allowed to roll ofl the truck incidental to the releasing of the main stake member 5. The main stakes are limited in their length to that x which will allow them to hang vertically downward from the bunk, so that they will not touch the ground or otherwise prevent the free movement of the truck away from its discharged load.

The main stakes 5 each consist of a pair of side plates 9 which are connected intermediate their length with a cross plate 10. An upper stake member 11 is adapted to be fitted upon each main stake 5 and consists of a pair of side plates 12 which converge towards their upper ends and are connected with a pin 14. An upper cross plate 15 connects the side plates 12 and is adapted to engage the inner face of the upper extremity of the main stake 5 to which the upper stake is fitted for the purpose of preventing said upper stake from swinging outwardly thereupon. A short horizontal bar or abutment 17 is connected across the side plates 12, and is 2,754,769 Patented July 17, 1956 adapted to normally rest upon the cross plate 10 of the main stake. This bar supports the upper stake in extended position and also serves as a hinge pin upon which the upper stake will rock, as shown in dotted line position in Figure 1, when the main stake is released to swing outwardly below the bar 1'7. One of the side plates 12 extends to form a heel 18 for the purpose of preventing the lower part of the stake 11 from swinging outwardly during loading.

A chain 1? or other flexible tension member extends between each pair of upper stakes and is anchored to the pins 14. This chain may be fitted with suitable connection parts and a turnbuckle as at 20 to tighten it across a load carried upon the bunk 2.

To hold each upper stake 11 against collapsing inwardly upon its main stake, each of said parts is provided with mated apertured lugs 22 through which a pin 23 is adapted to be thrust, thus locking the lower end of said upper stake against lateral movement relative to the centre portion of the main stake.

Assuming the load to be logs or other long length material, the chain 19 is disconnected and allowed to hang freely from the pins 14. The load material is then placed between the pairs or" main stakes and is built up to the desired height and the chain 19 connected across to bind the load and relieve the chains 8 of some of their load. On arriving at destination and when desirous of discharging the load, it sutfices to remove the pins 23 from the stakes on the unloading side or" the truck and to release the chains 8 which are connected to said stakes, so that the main stakes are free to swing outwardly incidental to the lateral thrust of the load. The chain 1% of each pair of stakes being still connected at both ends prevents the upper end of the free or released upper stake from moving outwardly as the load spreads, and the load thrust will cause the pivotal point between the upper and main stakes, which is about the bar 17, to move outwardly and cause a complete separation between said stake members, thus allowing the main stake to hang below the pin 6 while the load passes over it and the upper stake to remain suspended from the chain 19 free from load and the load will fall free from the truck without fouling the main stake or causing damage to any part of the stake elements.

Prior to reloading the main stakes will need to be swung into erect position and so secured, the chains 19 disconnected and the upper stakes assembled upon the lower stakes as illustrated and the pins 23 reinserted in the lugs 22.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. The combination with a vehicle bunk having a main stake hingedly mounted at one end and an upstanding member at the opposite end, said main stake being adapted to swing outwardly to a freely suspended position to discharge the vehicle load, releasable means extending from said main stake to the bunk to maintain said main stake in vertical position, a demountable upper stake telescopically fitting the upper part of the main stake, a plate extending transversely of the main stake intermediate its height, an abutment extending across the lower end of the upper stake and engaging the transversely extending plate, a member carried intermediate the height of the upper stake and engaging the upper end of the main stake to prevent outward movement of said upper stake, and flexible means extending horizontally from the upper end of the upper stake to an upper part of the upstanding member to prevent movement of the upper stake away from the load space.

2. The combination with a vehicle bunk as claimed in claim 1 and releasable means for locking the main and upper stakes in alignment.

3. The combination with a vehicle bunk as claimed in claim 1 said upper stake having an extension at its lower end adapted to engage the transversely extending plate to prevent said lower end from swinging inwardly.

4. The combination with a vehicle bunk having a main stake hingedly mounted at' one end and an upstanding member at the opposite end, said main stake being adapted to swing outwardly to a freely suspended position to discharge the vehicle load, said main stake having side plates, a cross plate connecting said side plates intermediate their height, releasable means extending from said main stake to the bunk to maintain said main stake in vertical position, a demountable upper stake having side plates telescopically fitting the upper part of the mainstake, an abutment extending transversely of the upper stake and engaging the cross plate, a member carried intermediate the height of the upper References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES- PATENTS 736,l38' McLaughlin Aug. 11, 1903 838,739 Nantz Dec. 18, 1906 848,086 Buzbee Mar 27, 1907 1,888,973 Cooper Nov. 29, 1932 

